NEW DELHI — Katie Ledecky made history at the US Olympic swim trials in Indianapolis as the seven-time Olympic champion became the first woman to win four titles at a single trials, with her 800m freestyle victory.
Finishing in eight minutes and 14.12 seconds, Ledecky was more than six seconds clear of her nearest challenger on Saturday, reaffirming her status as the world's quickest in this event for the 16th time, reports BBC.
This remarkable performance sets the stage for Ledecky to extend her Olympic medal haul at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She is slated to compete in the 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, and the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Among these events, the 800m freestyle holds particular significance as Ledecky aims to join the legendary Michael Phelps as the only swimmers to win four consecutive gold medals in the same Olympic event.
In Paris, Ledecky not only seeks to extend her legacy but strives for the historic fourth consecutive gold in the 800m freestyle.
Ledecky's journey to greatness began at the London 2012 Olympics, where she captured the 800m freestyle gold at just 15 years old. Her wins in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in the same event have been pivotal in her accumulation of 10 Olympic medals, making her one of the most decorated swimmers in history.